The Poodle will usually present themselves to the world with a dignified air that can sometimes be mistaken for aloofness or standoffishness. This is usually just a result of their elegant build and grace, as most Poodles are loving, loyal, and sweet animals who enjoy making people happy. 

While they may have an elegant appearance, they can be very playful and will clown around for an audience when the mood strikes them. Poodles can take a little while to become completely comfortable with strangers. However, this usually does not last long as they quickly warm up to new friends. 

A well-socialized and trained Poodle is neither shy nor aggressive, but is calm and well-mannered with everyone they meet. They’re smart enough to quickly learn proper behavior, and also smart enough to know when they can be mischievous and get away with it. 

While the Poodle isn’t technically considered a working or sporting dog in America, that doesn’t mean they aren’t excellent at various pursuits. Poodles are hardly couch potatoes and require a substantial amount of exercise and stimulation to stay healthy. 

Most Poodles will enjoy a number of outdoor activities. As a retriever, they enjoy fetch and are adept at swimming, since they were originally meant to chase and catch ducks then return to their owners. 

All sizes of Poodle will have moderate to high exercise requirements, starting off at 45 minutes for the Toy Poodle, an hour for the Miniature Poodle, and an hour and a half for a Standard Poodle.  

Agility courses and other dog sports are a good fit for more energetic Poodles, and they can excel even in a competitive setting. 

The degree of effort required to groom a Poodle greatly depends on the type of haircut they’ve been given. For most owners, they’ll need to have their Poodle groomed every month or even more often than that. 

Even when clipped very short for easier maintenance, their curly coats require a good deal of brushing. Trimming will also need to be done every three to six weeks to keep their coat short and neat. 

In general, a Poodle needs to be brushed daily. As a non-shedding breed, their shed fur gets stuck in the curls and can build up quickly, causing painful mats and tangles.

Tooth brushing daily is advised for all sizes of Poodle, and nail trimming can be done around once or twice a month, depending on how fast your Poodle’s nails grow out. 

The naturally high intelligence of the Poodle makes them adept at training, but it may also be a reason for them to think too independently. Some Poodles may want to do things their own way, unless they’re given good motivation to follow your commands. Luckily, Poodles are generally easy to train and eager to please, so some positive reinforcement will typically be enough to get them to obey. 

However, they can easily get bored if the training isn’t challenging or mentally stimulating enough for them. It’s best to go for shorter, more focused training sessions. Keep the sessions productive, rewarding, and fun, and you’ll end up with a Poodle that is always excited to learn. 

Poodles are generally healthy dogs and have a long lifespan regardless of their size, with a life expectancy of 12 to 18 years old. Poodles may be prone to:

• Sebaceous Adenitis – a condition in which the sebaceous glands are inflamed, resulting in hair loss, lesions, and scaly skin
• Progressive retinal atrophy – a broad range of eye disorders involving the retina that may result in vision loss or blindness
• Hypothyroidism – a thyroid gland disorder that can result in weight gain, muscle loss, lethargy, and patchy fur

Because there are three different sizes of Poodle, the space requirements will be different for each one:

• Standard Poodle – the biggest of the Poodle types, standing at 18 to 24 inches at the shoulder and weighing between 50 and 75 pounds.
• Miniature Poodle – a medium-sized Poodle, standing at 10 to 15 inches at the shoulder and weighing between 20 to 30 pounds.
• Toy Poodle – the smallest Poodle variant, standing no more than 10 inches high at the shoulder and weighing between 10 to 15 pounds. 

Most Standard Poodles will not do well in smaller homes, as they can grow quite large and need space to run around and play. Their higher energy levels will require an outdoor space for them to run around and exercise. 

Miniature and Toy Poodles, on the other hand, will be perfectly fine in apartments as well as larger households. Most of their exercise needs can be addressed either indoors or outdoors. 

Despite their energy and athleticism, most Poodles are now kept as companions, and require a high amount of interaction with their human family members. They are not well suited to living outdoors on their own.